Breezing In, Breezing Out

 

Touring musicians tend to breeze in and out of town quite a bit and I am no exception. This weekend I performed three concerts in three states. Travel, soundcheck, show, hotel repeat x3. An audience member commented after the first show that he didn’t think my “grueling” schedule sounded appealing. I thought about this all weekend because I couldn’t disagree more. There is something extremely appealing about breezing in and out to play piano.

On Friday I left my responsibilities as mother, wife, business owner, homeowner, professor, behind and have one assignment and one assignment only: to play the piano. Why the audience is there is not always clear. Some love my music and own CDs for years, some have heard about the show and are interested in trying something new. Others want to escape…from the election cycle, from the news, from their troubles, from the fast-pace of life, and just listen to music. I am here to oblige. I tell my stories and play my compositions and I can feel the energy in the concert hall shift after the first note. I create a portal to daydreams, deep thoughts. I stir memories, make someone laugh, remember.

I get lost going to one venue. I sleep at a stranger’s house who has offered her spare bedroom for the night. I eat dinner at 11pm. I am completely off schedule and out of whack but have never felt more in sync in my life as when I am doing this. So there it is. As I play the musical soundtrack I have composed for my own life, I get to see it transforming others, even if only for a little while. And that is what the hokey pokey is all about.